Chiropractor Urges Everyone ‘Never Sleep on Your Right Side’

More than 40% of Americans sleep less than they should, leaving us weary, bleary, and at greater risk for depression, weight gain, high blood pressure, and several chronic health conditions.

But even if you are clocking the expert-recommended 7 to 8 hours a night, your time in bed may be messing with your health in unexpected ways. According to sleep experts, your preferred sleep position could be giving you back and neck pain, tummy troubles, even premature wrinkles.

There is an entire industry built around human beings getting better sleep. For example, there are countless mattresses on the market (some cost thousands of dollars) that promise good sleep. The good news is that you can significantly improve your sleep without spending your life savings on a new mattress.

Yes, these days we are inundated with articles that say how important sleep is for our health and mood, but it turns out that the position we sleep matters in this equation.

According to sleep expert, Dr. John Douillard, “Emphasizing the left side for rest and sleep offers some time-tested wisdom for very real health and longevity benefits.”

Other experts also say that proper sleep position is also crucial for healthy digestion. Additionally, asthmatics should not sleep on their back.

GOOD REASONS TO SLEEP ON YOUR LEFT SIDE

1. Heartburn Relief:

If you are one of the lucky ones who suffer from heartburn after eating a plate of jambalaya or some good pizza, becoming a “left-side-sleeper” could offer you quite a bit of relief. In other words, sleeping on your left side can alleviate heartburn, while sleeping on your right side can actually make things worse.

2. Helps Lymphatic System:

Most of us don’t know a whole lot about our lymphatic system (lymph nodes) but suffice to say it is very important to our health. Your left side is considered to be the lymphatic side, so if you sleep on this side it stimulates this system so that your body is better able to filter lymph fluid, toxins, and waste.

3. Heart Health:

Sleeping on the left side can do wonders in promoting your overall heart health. According to Dr. John Douillard, “It makes sense that if you sleep on your left side, the lymph drainage toward the heart will again be helped by gravity, taking some of the workload off the heart as you sleep.”

4. Stops Snoring:

Being kept up all night because someone is snoring loudly is one thing, but it turns out that snoring is bad for our health and hard on the heart. According to Medical Daily, “Sleeping on your side is beneficial for patients who have obstructive sleep apnea, prone to general snoring.”